Not Too Eventful

A couple of hours each day over the weekend and although pleasant, nothing too radical to report. Yesterday, the circuit of Beacon Lane, Arcot, Plessey Mill Farm Wood and West Hartford added Cormorant (63) to the year's Patch List, one flying along the R. Blyth west to east. Little else at PMFW and Arcot likelwise. No sign of the Willow Tit, unfortunately. Today, all quiet at Arcot, the Little Owl, absent yesterday was on sentry duty in its usual 'box', and a substantial flock of Redwing, Fieldfare (64) and Chaffinch in the vicinity of the travellers' stables. There is a Common Buzzard frequenting the area of late (to the east of the lane in the region of the stream) and in today's light its head and shoulders looked very pale (a tad of heart-racing pre-empted the confirmation that it was a Common!).

You Can't Beat A Bit o' Bully

Trekked the usual spots this afternoon, nothing to add to yesterday's ticks (Pied Wag at Avebury Place, Shankhoooose and Golden Plover off Beacon Lane's north end). Willow Tit and Fieldfare remain irritatingly elusive. Beacon Lane did yield this (not so) little fella - one of my faves.

Calm Down! Calm Down!

After yesterday's 'We wuz robbed, Guv' Bird Race, it was back to the patch today and some more-leisurely ticking. The Little Egret was on the Burn at 0900(unlike yesterday when it disappeared). Beacon Lane was productive, with four Greylag Geese over White Hall Farm (SE) and a calling Yellowhammer. Near South Stream, 10 Grey Partridge flew low and north over the horse paddock. No sight nor sound of the Willow Tit, and the same at Bassington Nature Reserve.